Protective Netting Improves Leaf-level Photosynthetic Light Use Efficiency in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple Under Heat Stress

Mupambi, Giverson; Musacchi, Stefano; Serra, Sara; Kalcsits, Lee; Layne, Desmond R.; Schmidt, Tory

doi:10.21273/hortsci13096-18

Cited by 33 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Large differences in weather between years likely contributed to the strong physiological responses to water stress in 2017 that were not observed in 2018, when it was cooler during the mid-season period. In other studies, temperature, humidity, and wind speed have all been attributed to variable responses in stem water potential [ 22 ]. Plasticity in response to environment is important because all variables were held constant from year to year except the seasonal environmental conditions ( Table 2 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, soil moisture monitoring and evapotranspiration modelling are the primary methods by which irrigation decisions are currently made for apple [ 19 , 20 ]. However, one of the best indicators of physiological drought stress in tree fruit is plant water potential [ 21 ], which is often measured as mid-day stem water potential (Ψ md ) [ 22 ]. While leaf water potential (Ψ l ) can also be a good indicator of water stress, it can be environmentally plastic compared to stem water potential [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water Deficit Timing Affects Physiological Drought Response, Fruit Size, and Bitter Pit Development for ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

Reid

Kalcsits

2020

Plants

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Irrigation is critical to maintain plant growth and productivity in many apple-producing regions. ‘Honeycrisp’ apple characteristically develops large fruit that are also susceptible to bitter pit. Limiting fruit size by restricting irrigation may represent an opportunity to control bitter pit in ‘Honeycrisp’. For three seasons, ‘Honeycrisp’ trees were subject to water limitations in 30-day increments and compared to a fully watered control. Water limitations were imposed from 16–45, 46–75, and 76–105 days after full bloom (DAFB). Soil moisture for the well-watered control was maintained at 80–90% of field capacity for the entire season. For two years, physiological measurements were made every 15 days from 30 to 105 DAFB. Fruit quality, bitter pit incidence, shoot length, and return bloom were also measured to assess impacts on growth and productivity. When water was limited, stomatal conductance and net gas exchange were lower compared to the well-watered control and stem water potential decreased by 30–50% throughout the growing season. Early season water limitations had a lower impact on plant response to abiotic stress compared to late-season limitations. Overall, water deficits during fruit expansion phases contributed to fewer large fruit and decreased overall bitter pit incidence with no negative effects on fruit quality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Deficit Timing Affects Physiological Drought Response, Fruit Size, and Bitter Pit Development for ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

Reid

Kalcsits

2020

Plants

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“…Apple production regions such as Washington State that are characterized as a semi-arid climate [1,2] may benefit from protective strategies to reduce the effects of high levels of radiation and temperature during the summer [3][4][5]. Protective netting provides an alternative to the standard practice of evaporative overcooling (EC) to mitigate sunburn in the Pacific Northwest [6][7][8] by reducing fruit surface temperatures [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As production continues to expand, particularly in warmer regions like Washington State, the use of protective netting to minimize losses to sunburn [2] will be necessary for the economic sustainability of this cultivar. Despite numerous studies carried out on other apple cultivars like "Fuji", "Braeburn", "Jonagold", "Elstar" and "Gala" grown under shading nets [16,25,33,[47][48][49][50], there is still limited literature available about the effects of netting on "Honeycrisp" physiology, fruit quality and storability [2,4,11,51,52]. This study's objectives were to (1) characterize the light intensity and light quality under colored nets in a "Honeycrisp" orchard compared to an uncovered control and (2) investigate the effect of colored nets on external and internal fruit quality for "Honeycrisp".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoselective Protective Netting Improves “Honeycrisp” Fruit Quality

Serra

Borghi

Mupambi

et al. 2020

Plants

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High temperatures, wind, and excessive sunlight can negatively impact yield and fruit quality in semi-arid apple production regions. Netting was originally designed for hail protection, but it can modify the light spectrum and affect fruit quality. Here, pearl, blue, and red photoselective netting (≈20% shading factor) was installed in 2015 over a commercial “Cameron Select® Honeycrisp” orchard. Our research objectives were to (1) describe the light quantity and quality under the colored nets compared to an uncovered control and (2) investigate the effect of Photoselective nets on “Honeycrisp” apple quality for two growing seasons. Light transmittance and scattering for each treatment were measured with a spectroradiometer, and samples for fruit quality analyses were collected at harvest. PAR (photosynthetic active radiation), UV, blue, red, and far-red light were lower underneath all netting treatments compared to an uncovered control. The scattered light was higher under the pearl net compared to other colors, while red and far-red light were lower under the blue net. For two consecutive years, trees grown under the photoselective nets intercepted more incoming light than the uncovered trees with no differences among the three colors. In both years, trees under red and blue nets had more sunburn-free (clean) apples than pearl and control. Red color development for fruit was lower when nets were used. Interestingly, bitter pit incidence was lower underneath red nets for both years. Other than red color development, “Honeycrisp” fruit quality was not appreciably affected by the use of netting. These results highlight the beneficial effect of nets in improving light quality in orchards and mitigating physiological disorders such as bitter pit in “Honeycrisp” apple.

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“…Light scattering possibly counterbalanced reduced light intensity in netted rows and resulted in an overall lack of effect of our netting system on tree photosynthesis. Enhanced efficiency of leaf-level photosynthetic light use, which has been reported for ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees under photoselective shade nets [39], is not considered applicable to our conditions, because the reported effect is mostly apparent at high temperatures and under high solar radiation, which can be common in Washington state and in many apple growing areas but is not representative of northeastern North America.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Exclusion Netting Row Covers on ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple Trees Grown under Northeastern North American Conditions: Effects on Photosynthesis and Fruit Quality

Chouinard

Veilleux

Pelletier

et al. 2019

Insects

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Exclusion nets have been used successfully to protect fruit from insect pests of apples under various conditions, but the effect of each particular netting system on the plant itself has rarely been investigated. In this study, a complete exclusion system—in which the soil is also excluded—was used to grow ‘Honeycrisp’ apples for six years in southern Quebec, Canada. Abiotic conditions, as well as plant photosynthesis and fruit quality characteristics (colour, firmness, size, sugar content, number of seeds, ripeness and skin integrity) and yield were estimated yearly and compared in netted (either with or without a rainproof top) and unnetted row units. Although annual variations were high and results showed little or no difference between netted and unnetted rows for all measured variables, with the following exceptions; colour (increased red surface on fruits from unnetted rows some years), size (fruits from unnetted rows were smaller) and maturity (fruits from unnetted rows matured slightly faster). Fruits produced under nets had fewer microcracks at the surface than fruits produced without nets. Reduced cracking possibly helped decrease sooty blotch and flyspeck incidence and severity. Impacts for pest control and prospects for pesticide-free production are discussed.

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Protective Netting Improves Leaf-level Photosynthetic Light Use Efficiency in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple Under Heat Stress

Cited by 33 publications

References 37 publications

Water Deficit Timing Affects Physiological Drought Response, Fruit Size, and Bitter Pit Development for ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

Water Deficit Timing Affects Physiological Drought Response, Fruit Size, and Bitter Pit Development for ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

Photoselective Protective Netting Improves “Honeycrisp” Fruit Quality

Impact of Exclusion Netting Row Covers on ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple Trees Grown under Northeastern North American Conditions: Effects on Photosynthesis and Fruit Quality

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